Sunny Hostin says she feels unsafe around American flags

During a discussion on the ABC talk show "The View" on Monday, July 6, co-host Sunny Hostin reiterated a personal sentiment she first expressed in 2021, stating that she feels unsafe in neighborhoods displaying numerous American flags. Hostin argued that a segment of the country has co-opted the national symbol, associating it with white supremacy.

The conversation was prompted by a viral photograph from the recent Independence Day weekend in Washington, D.C., depicting a Black woman seated on a train car surrounded by masked members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front. The group had marched in the capital during celebrations marking the nation's 250th anniversary, with some participants wearing caps featuring an American flag-style insignia.

Hostin described the image as a defining one for modern America for Black Americans. She explained that when she sees American flags prominently displayed outside of patriotic holidays or military neighborhoods, particularly alongside political flags like those for former President Donald Trump, she perceives a message of racism and exclusion. The flag belongs to all of us, she acknowledged, but contended it has been weaponized by some.